Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Baroness Barker: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 13 July (HL8900), whether they will publishthe RAF’s evidence review on HIV in the context of aviation.

Baroness Goldie: The Royal Air Force do not intend to publish the evidence review that informed the policy changes for HIV and the Aircrew Profession.The Royal Air Force’s evidence review was principally based upon work previously published by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency and UK Civil Aviation Authority guidelines on HIV in the context of aviation. The RAF benchmarked this evidence against the usual standards and risk thresholds that underpin military aviation safety.

Shipbuilding: Portsmouth North

Lord West of Spithead: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withthe member of Parliament for Portsmouth North regarding the plan to build three ships in that constituency to assist in disaster relief and other operations.

Baroness Goldie: There are no plans for the Ministry of Defence to build any disaster relief vessels in the constituency of Portsmouth North and there have been no Ministerial discussions on the matter.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Baroness Barker: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 13 July (HL8900), whether theRAF considered the recent HIV policy changes in civil aviation as part of its evidence review on HIV in the context of aviation.

Baroness Goldie: Recent policy changes in civil aviation were considered in the formulation of the Royal Air Force policy regarding HIV and the Aircrew Profession which was endorsed by a tri-Service committee comprised of medical specialists. The Chief Medical Officer of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Senior Medical Officer of the National Air Traffic Control Service are members of this committee to ensure appropriate benchmarking of military aviation medicine policy against civilian standards.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Baroness Barker: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 13 July (HL8900), whetherthe British HIV Association was consulted as part of the RAF evidence review of pilots and air traffic controllers living with HIV.

Baroness Goldie: British HIV Association (BHIVA) guidance was central to the formulation of the policy on HIV and the Aircrew profession. While not directly consulted, BHIVA provided evidence and support to the wider review which informed the decision making on the policy outlined in Joint Service Publication 950 regarding individuals living with HIV serving in the UK Armed Forces.

Armed Forces: HIV Infection

Baroness Barker: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 13 July (HL8900), whichHIV specialists were consulted as part of the RAF evidence review into pilots and air traffic controllers living with HIV.

Baroness Goldie: The Royal Air Force consulted a range of primary and secondary care physicians during the development of the Aviation Medical policy relating to HIV for the Aircrew Profession. This included specialists in HIV, Infectious Diseases, Occupational Medicine, Aerospace Medicine, Aviation Psychiatry and Psychology and General Medicine as well as several General Practitioners with advanced training in Aviation Medicine.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Deep Sea Mining

Baroness Sheehan: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Mott on 13 September (HL Deb col 1011), what assessment they have made of the case for imposing a moratorium on all deep sea mining as part their “precautionary and conditional” approach to that policy area.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's policy is not to sponsor or support the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects unless and until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems, and strong enforceable environmental Regulations, Standards and Guidelines have been developed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and are in place. The UK's approach is both precautionary and conditional.The Government commissioned an independent review from the British Geological Survey, the National Oceanography Centre, and Heriot-Watt University. The terms of reference included a review of minerals contained in seafloor deposits and how this compares to terrestrial resources, with discussion on future resource potential and knowledge gaps. The review was published in October 2022 and is available here: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/news/deep-sea-mining-evidence-review-published/

Overseas Students: West Africa

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what arrangements they are making to ensure students from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are able (1) to begin planned studies, or (2) continue to be able to study, in the UK following the coups in those nations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Despite ongoing political instability, we continue to award Chevening scholarships to successful candidates from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to study for post graduate degrees in the UK. For the academic year 2023-2024 we have two scholars from Niger and two from Mali. All scholars receive support with their visa applications and travel arrangements from the Chevening Secretariat.The UK also continues to provide support for education in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso through the Education Cannot Wait Fund, a multilateral fund which supports the provision of education interventions targeting children in emergencies, and through Global Partnership for Education which supports the transformation of education systems globally, including in Burkina Faso and Mali.

Imports: Cyprus

Lord Hannan of Kingsclere: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to begin directly importing Turkish Cypriot products, including fresh produce, to the UK from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. Several UN Security Council Resolutions and other multilateral agreements also limit links between UK and the north. The UK has no intention to begin directly importing products. We continue to believe that a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus is the best means of resolving the difficulties caused by the division of the island.

Libya: Floods

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that 20,000 pregnant women in the Libyan city of Derna are in urgent need of healthcare, what specific assistancethey are providing to women and girls there.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The FCDO is closely monitoring the impact of Storm Daniel on Eastern Libya and utilising humanitarian needs assessments to inform our response. The UK has already delivered over 5,000 emergency shelter items, over 800 portable solar lanterns, over 2,000 water filters and over 1,000 hygiene kits. These items will be distributed by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN's International Organization for Migration to those in need, including women and girls affected by the devastating flooding. We will continue to coordinate with partners on the ground to understand the humanitarian health needs, including for vulnerable populations such as pregnant women.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Ethnic Groups

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation of the Banyamulenge and Hema minority communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), given the recent attacks against them; what representations they have made to their counterparts in the DRC concerning these communities; and what practical assistance they have provided to support the DRC in assisting these communities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK condemns all forms of hate speech and violence committed against all individuals and communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We continue to actively lobby the Government of DRC to tackle the drivers of conflict, introduce human rights reforms, combat impunity, and push for the imposition of sanctions through the UN against individuals who have committed serious human rights abuses. We will continue to work with members of the international community to counter hate speech and incitement to violence in DRC through shared messaging, both private and public. We are fully supportive of the work carried out by the UN peacekeeping Mission, MONUSCO, and note their vital work in providing protection for those displaced from these communities in Ituri and South Kivu. We contribute financially and militarily to MONUSCO, and as permanent members of the UN Security Council, continue to ensure that the protection of civilians remains central to MONUSCO's mandate.

North Korea: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the Republic of Korea about reports that an estimated 2,000 North Korean refugees will be forcibly repatriated to North Korea by the People's Republic of China; and whether they intend to take joint action with the Republic of Korea on behalf of these refugees.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the UK and partners regularly make clear, we call on states not to forcibly repatriate refugees to countries where they could face further human rights abuses. At the 17 August UN Security Council meeting on the human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the UK called on all states to abide by the principle of non-refoulement. The UK continues to engage with allies including the Republic of Korea (ROK) to hold the DPRK to account for its egregious human rights record.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Cobalt

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to their counterparts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in relation to the issues of fair pricing and child labour in the cobalt mining industry; and what practical assistance they have provided to that country to address these issues.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Illicit mining in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the use of child labour remains a problem. We regularly raise the issue of child labour in DRC's mining sector both with the DRC government and through multilateral fora such as the Human Rights Council. The UK supports the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) which aims to improve transparency and governance in the mining sector. The UK provided funding to the "Effective Approaches to Ending the Worst Forms of Child Labour in Fragile Contexts", a multi-stakeholder consortium which develops innovative approaches to ending child labour in DRC. In addition, the Home Office is funding work through the Modern Slavery Innovation Fund with the objective of strengthening partnerships to prevent and remedy forced labour in supply chains from DRC.

Hong Kong: Press Freedom

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong, Inquiry into Media Freedom in Hong Kong: The Case of Jimmy Lai and Apple Daily, published in April 2023; and what steps they are taking to respond to its recommendations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We welcome the All-Party Parliamentary Group's (APPG) report of 24 April on Media Freedom in Hong Kong. Under the National Security Law, a once free and vibrant press in Hong Kong has been severely diminished. As the Foreign Secretary made clear in the latest Six-monthly Report to Parliament, published on 19 September, Jimmy Lai and others are being deliberately targeted under the guise of national security to silence criticism. The Foreign Secretary has made clear our views on the erosion of Hong Kong's autonomy, rights and freedoms and raised Mr Lai's case at the UN Human Rights Council and with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, most recently on 31 August. We were pleased to host a side event on media freedom in Hong Kong at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 September to consider these issues further.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that leading Israeli public figures such as the former head of the Mossad intelligence agency, Tamir Pardo, and the former speaker of the Israeli parliament, Avraham Burg, have stated that the State of Israel is imposing a form of apartheid on the Palestinian people; and (2) the statement made by members of The Elders organisation, including Mary Robinson and Ban Ki-moon, after visiting the West Bank, of the “ever-growing evidence that the situation meets the international legal definition of apartheid”.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to making progress towards a two-state solution, as the Foreign Secretary made clear during his recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on 11-13 September.However, the UK does not agree with the use of this terminology. Any judgment on whether serious crimes under international law have occurred is a matter for judicial decision, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. As a friend of Israel, we have a regular dialogue on human rights. This includes encouraging the Government of Israel to abide by its obligations under international law and do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all.

North Korea: Refugees

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to raise reports that an estimated 2,000 North Korean refugees will be forcibly repatriated to North Korea by the People's Republic of China (1) with the People's Republic of China, and (2) in the United Nations Human Rights Council; and whether they will remind the People's Republic of China of its obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of reports of North Korean escapees detained in China. The UK actively promotes the implementation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom. We emphasise directly to the Chinese authorities that they should not be detaining North Korean refugees with the intention of returning them to North Korea. At the 17 August UN Security Council meeting on the human rights situation in the DPRK, the UK called on all states to abide by the principle of non-refoulement.

Global South

Lord Patten: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their definition of the 'Global South' when they use that term.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The term 'Global South' is commonly used to refer to developing countries. However, we recognise that our lower- and middle-income partners are not a homogenous block. As set out in our response to the International Development Committee's report on Racism in the Aid Sector, published in December 2022, we continually review the impact of our language. This is an important part of how we will modernise our long-term partnerships, in line with the ambition set out by the Minister for Development and Africa in his Chatham House speech in April 2023.

Infectious Diseases: Disease Control

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to table a motion to enable the House of Lords to debate the Political Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, which will be discussed by the UN General Assembly on 20 September.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: A Westminster Hall Debate on the three health-focused High-Level Meetings taking place at the UN General Assembly High-Level Week this year was held on 11th July 2023. This provided a helpful opportunity for Members to discuss the UK's aims for the three High-Level Meetings. UN resolutions, including those such as this political declaration, issued as the outcome of UN General Assembly High-Level Meetings, are non-binding recommendations. In keeping with usual practice relating to such resolutions, the Government does not propose to table a motion relating to the declaration.

World Food Programme: Finance

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of UN World Food Programme's analysis, published on 12 September, that every 1 per cent cut in food assistance could push 400,000 people towards the brink of starvation and that as a consequence of cuts “an additional 24 million people could fall into emergency hunger over the next 12 months”; and what steps it plans to take, if any, in response to this analysis.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We share WFP's alarm at their analysis and ask the Agency to prioritise those who are most in need and the most food insecure, basing its decisions on its own internal assessments and internationally-recognised tools like the Integrated Phase Classification. We urge WFP to keep improving its targeting to ensure the most vulnerable segments of the population are reached with adequate support.We are supportive of WFP's efforts to expand its donor base beyond traditional donors (including other Governments, International Financial Institutions and the private sector) and urge them to continue investing in efficiencies to ensure scarce resources are used in the most effective manner possible.

World Food Programme: Finance

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of analysis by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) published on 12 September describing “an unprecedented funding crisis” in food assistance; and what steps they plan to take, if any, to respond to the WFP’s summary of the consequences of scaling back of humanitarian assistance at “a time when acute food insecurity has soared to record levels”.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We share WFP's alarm at their analysis describing an "unprecedented funding crisis" in food assistance and the extraordinarily difficult decisions that WFP has to take in order to address it, including reducing rations. The UK supports WFP's efforts to diversify its donor base to fill current funding gaps, and the Agency's increased focus on innovative partnerships and solutions - including with the private sector and International Financial Institutions. The UK is continuing to prioritise its support to the humanitarian agencies, including core, unearmarked funding which supports rapid responses, underfunded emergencies and the populations that are most in need.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Cobalt

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of child labour in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in the cobalt mining industry.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to monitor reports of modern slavery within the mining sector of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), especially in cobalt mining. The artisanal mining sector is particularly vulnerable to modern slavery and human rights abuses, with regular reports of the worst forms of child labour (WFCL). The UK Government remains committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking in line with achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 by 2030. In September 2023, the UK funded the participation of survivors of modern slavery in workshops developing the DRC's Country Roadmap towards achieving Goal 8.7. The UK has supported efforts to end the worst forms of child labour in countries such as the DRC, Ethiopia and Central African Republic through the Partnership Against Child Exploitation (PACE) programme.

Cabinet Office

Public Sector: Data Protection

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the processes operating in the public sector for protecting data, including data about individuals held by suppliers to public sector bodies.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Government takes its data protection responsibilities very seriously, including where data is held by suppliers to the Government and suppliers to public sector bodies. Data protection processes are kept under continuous review. As the relevant National Technical Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre provides the Government, public sector bodies and the private sector with expert advice on protecting data from unauthorised access. The Government Cyber Security Strategy was published last year. This sets out our plans significantly to harden the Government’s critical functions against cyber attack by 2025, with all organisations across the public sector being resilient to known vulnerabilities by 2030 at the latest.

National Security: China

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the publication on 14 September of their response to the report from the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament, China, when they willmove a motion for debate to enable the House of Lords to discuss its findings and recommendations.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: I am pleased to refer the noble Lord to the upcoming debate on the government’s position on the long-term strategic challenges posed by China, to be held in the House of Lords on 19 October.

Treasury

Teachers: Pay

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what arethe Barnett consequentials for devolved regions of the 6.5 per cent pay rise agreed for teachers in England.

Baroness Penn: The Government has accepted the School Teachers’ Review Body’s pay recommendations for the 2023/24 teacher pay award in England in full. We are reprioritising from within the Department for Education’s existing budget to deliver the additional funding to schools in England for the costs of the pay award over 3.5%. The devolved administrations receive funding through the Barnett formula when UK Government departmental DEL budgets change. As there is no change to the Department for Education’s DEL budget associated with this announcement, there are no associated Barnett consequentials. Barnett consequentials would already have resulted from the Department for Educations’s initial budget settlement at Spending Review 2021. The devolved administrations are well funded to deliver all their devolved responsibilities. Overall, the devolved administrations’ funding is at least 20% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK. Spending Review 2021 also set the largest annual block grants, in real terms, of any spending review settlement since the devolution Acts. This provided £41 billion per year for the Scottish Government, £18 billion per year for the Welsh Government and £15 billion per year for the Northern Ireland Executive. A full breakdown of changes to devolved administrations’ block grants, including Barnett consequentials, is set out in the published Block Grant Transparency document.

Trader Support Service

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made on replacing the Trader Support Service as envisaged under the Windsor Framework.

Baroness Penn: The Government is committed to providing long-term support to traders moving goods under the Windsor Framework and will ensure traders can continue to use the free-to-use Trader Support Service, regardless of whether goods are moved into Northern Ireland via the green lane or the red lane. For this reason, the Government announced on 29 September that the current TSS contract has been extended until December 2024.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

What Works Centre for Wellbeing: Finance

Baroness Tyler of Enfield: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide funding to the independent What Works Centre for Wellbeing, and what assessment they have made of the support that the Centre is able to provide in fulfilling the aims of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill.

Lord Evans of Rainow: The What Works Centre for Wellbeing currently receives funding from Cabinet Office, DCMS, and the Department for Transport. This includes work supported by the Evaluation Accelerator Fund, details of which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evaluation-accelerator-fund.The department will continue working with a variety of partners to deliver levelling up.Evaluation accelerator fund (pdf, 102.5KB)

Water: Pollution Control

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government, following the plans to relax nutrient neutrality rules, what (1) statutory, or (2) other, measures, they will take to promote compliance among developers.

Lord Evans of Rainow: The amendment in question is not part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

Department for Education

Erasmus+ Programme

Lord Wigley: To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding was received by (1) Wales and (2) Scotland, under the EU's Erasmus programme in each of the years 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Baroness Barran: Data published by British Council and Ecorys acting as the UK National Agency for the 2014/20 Erasmus+ Programme, is available at: https://erasmusplus.org.uk/results-and-statistics.html.This data indicates that the amount of funding received by applicants in Wales in 2014, 2015 and 2016 was €5,134,268.50, €6,796,296.50, and €8,979,210 respectively. This funding covered Key Action 1: Learner and Staff Mobility in Higher education, Vocational education and training, Schools, Adult education, and Youth, as well as Key Action 2: Strategic Partnerships and Key Action 3: Youth Structured Dialogue.Applicants in Scotland received €12,216,190 in 2014, €14,347,139 in 2015 and €15,099,037.80 in 2016 under the EU Erasmus+ Programme. This funding covered Key Action 1 and Key Action 2 only between 2014 and 2016 as no applicants from Scotland received funding for Key Action 3 during this period.

Department for Education: Resignations

Lord Browne of Ladyton: To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants have resigned from the team responsible for capital spending in the Department for Education in each year for the past five years.

Baroness Barran: The information is not held in the format requested.

Department for Transport

Euston Station: Access

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will raise with Network Rail the provision made for disabled passengers at Euston station and, in particular (1) the distance between the holding facility for disabled passengers and parking place for the buggies for passengers who are unable to walk, (2) removing the steel bars recently installed on either side of the rear seats of these buggies, (3) the availability of assistants with wheelchairs at the passenger drop off point to take disabled passengers to the holding facility, (4) repair of the phone at the disabled passenger drop-off point, and (5) direct access to Platform 1 for the disabled buggy.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Passenger Assistance lounge at Euston station, which is usually staffed with at least three assistants, is equipped with six wheelchairs to help passengers from the drop-off point at the taxi-rank to the lounge. Passengers who have pre-booked their assistance can be met at the drop-off point by staff with a wheelchair. If a passenger hasn’t pre-booked, they can contact the passenger assistance lounge using the help point at the taxi rank and be collected. The help point at the taxi-rank is fully operational.The distance from the Passenger Assistance lounge to the parked buggies at Euston Station is around 15 metres. To help passengers from the lounge to the buggies, Network Rail can provide passengers with wheelchairs, or take them by the arm for support, depending on their needs. In some cases, when the station is quiet, staff can drive the buggy to the entrance of the Passenger Assistance lounge to make this journey shorter.The buggies have barriers by the rear seats for the safety of riding passengers, reducing the risk of passengers falling.For the safety of passengers, buggy drivers are instructed to take passengers under the concourse to services on platforms 1 and 2. This is to reduce the amount of congestion on the concourse where passengers are waiting, departing or arriving.

Department for Business and Trade

Audit and Insolvency

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government whethermaintaining trust in audit remains a priority for them; and, following Carillion and Patisserie Valerie’s collapse, what assessment they have made of the extent to which reducing the risk of corporate failure is a national priority.

The Earl of Minto: The Prime Minister set out his five priorities earlier this year. The Department's work to increase trust in the UK's audit, corporate reporting and corporate governance system contributes to the second priority, growing the British economy, in part by helping to manage risks that could lead to disorderly corporate failures.

Ministry of Justice

Suicide

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to ensure that bereaved families are able to retrieve a note or letter written by an individual who has died by suicide.

Lord Bellamy: Any death which is suspected to have been a suicide must be reported for investigation by the coroner. If a note or letter has been left by the deceased person, this should be provided to the coroner by the police and must be admitted as evidence if the coroner considers that the content of the document is relevant to the inquest into the person’s death.Rule 13 of the Coroners (Inquests) Rules 2013 provides that, (subject to a limited number of exceptions) where an interested person (which would include the bereaved family) requests the disclosure of a document held by the coroner, the coroner must provide the document, or a copy of it, or make the document available for inspection by the interested person as soon as reasonably practicable.